“’It’s not a matter of IF he has another stroke, but WHEN.’ His 5 siblings took turns feeding him little bites of ice cream. Even brain surgery couldn’t get in the way of his sweet crooked smile.”
‘He had very serious issues. ‘Should we adopt him?’ I’ll never forget his face. I couldn’t escape the feeling he was ours!’: Woman adopts baby with brain condition, ‘He changed my perspective on life’
‘’Will you ask her to marry you?’ My dress was overnighted. Mom helped dad into his suit. I choked on tears.’: Woman creates father-daughter dance before dad’s passing, ‘He always chose joy’
“My nails weren’t painted and I curled my hair myself in between wiping away the endless stream of tears. It wasn’t staged or super fancy. It was a dad doing what he always did best: sweeping his girl off her feet one last time.”
‘My doctor was disinterested in my health. ‘It’s a circus people disease. You don’t have it.’ I felt defeated.’: Woman diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos, ‘I’m thankful for those who’ve stood by me’’
“Overnight, I woke up ill. I was met with disbelief and put-downs. ‘Girls your age struggle with anxiety.’ I struggled to walk up stairs. I would wake up from a full night’s sleep and need to go back to bed an hour later.”
‘She’s been gone too long.’ It was a freak event during birth. She stopped breathing twice, turning grey.’: 2-day-old baby diagnosed with brain bleed, ‘She’s our big adventure’
“I knew something was wrong. A nurse came in and said Ellis had stopped breathing in the nursery twice. ‘She’s at high risk for significant developmental disabilities.’ He encouraged my husband and I to have a conversation about what to do if our baby didn’t wake up.”
‘You won’t carry a child.’ I never got a period. I’d memorize pill brands, so I wouldn’t flag as ‘not-quite-woman.’: Woman with MRKH Syndrome finds purpose in advocacy
“I was a child learning I would never carry a child. I had the option for treatment. I would be upstairs doing this painful and intrusive act, while my family was desperately pretending I wasn’t. I felt defected and apologetic for not being ‘complete.’”
‘You can do it. You’re Norah’s mom after all.’ Our future changed. The weight of the day was so heavy.’: Mom honors late daughter with nonprofit, ‘Where there’s grief, there’s hope’
“At night, the hospital halls became so quiet. We made beds out of chairs, cots, and window ledges. Hospital living and doctor offices became our new normal. But every moment was filled with love.”
‘At 11-years-old, I coded on the table. ‘You’re on your second soul.’: Chronic pain warrior with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome suffers stroke, finds community, ‘It’s about being there for each other’
“My first stroke was at 11 weeks old. By the time I was 4, I had three open-heart surgeries. Once, I made a list of things I have tried over the years for my pain. It was three pages long. You name it, I’ve probably had it.”
‘Something’s wrong. Get help.’ I went numb. My sister found me fighting for my life on the kitchen floor.’: Woman survives 2 strokes in medical mystery, ‘You have to trust the process’
“My neck was a little sore as if I’d slept on it weird. Within seconds, it felt like someone spun me 180 degrees. I couldn’t move my arms or legs. ‘Why are you on the floor? Are you drunk?’ All she could see was her baby sister struggling.”
“My cancer is back.’ Then came the next bombshell. My entire family was dead before I turned 30.’: Daughter grieves loss of parents, ‘Running from grief isn’t the solution’
“I found out Mom was going to die. As I walked away from the hospice, I knew my life had changed. After her death, I had to foster a new relationship with my dad. Then came another bombshell. My entire family was dead before I turned 30.”
‘This was the last photo I took of Finn in a school. It’s all gone. His body language is an obvious expression that he did NOT want to be pulled away.’: Mom of son with heart disease says ‘you can’t have a lifestyle without LIFE’
“His teacher means the WORLD to him, the world. We had big plans for May 28th. Finn’s graduation from preschool and an adorable spring program that was planned. It’s all gone. He will never get to complete preschool. We had our kids at this school for 6 whole years and with one announcement, gone.”
